S.F. Giants: Pete Rose on Buster Posey

Douglas Farmer of the Los Angeles Times caught up with Pete Rose this week, and the all-time hits leader had plenty say about Buster Posey’s injury. Rose, of course, is infamous for plowing into a young Ray Fosse in the 1970 All-Star game. Rose also had plenty to say about steroid use, including his thoughts on Barry Bonds and Mark McGwire.

Here’s what Charlie Hustle told Farmer about Posey’s situation.

“Buster Posey got hurt because his leg was underneath his other one. If he had gotten hurt from the collision, he would have been knocked out. Buster had a big disadvantage, just like Ray Fosse had a big disadvantage against me in the 1970 All-Star game. The disadvantage is this: When the catcher does not have the ball, he is at the mercy of the runner. If the catcher has the ball, the runner is at the mercy of the catcher, because if (the catcher) is going to plant himself and get ready for the collision with the ball in his hand, you’re in trouble as a runner. Buster didn’t have the ball. Ray Fosse was reaching out for the ball. If Buster had the ball waiting for the guy, nothing would have happened except (Cousins) would have been out.”

Asked if the rules should be changed, Rose told the L.A. Times: “I’m not going to change any rule, because Cousins is a good, hard-nosed baseball player. … Buster is a great, young player, and you hate to see anybody get hurt, but the guy slid within the rules of the game, and you can’t take that away from him.

“Your obligation as a baserunner is to try and be safe within the rules. OK? A lot of these catchers don’t understand that they are blocking the plate and they don’t have the ball. You’re not allowed to block the plate without the ball.

“My advice to anybody while I was playing was if you don’t have the ball, don’t block the base when I’m coming, because there’s going to be a collision.”

Asked about steroid use in the game, Rose said:

“I’m not the one who is going to sit here and judge (Barry) Bonds, or judge Rafael (Palmeiro). All I know is they put up numbers. I’m going to tell you right now, though, Barry Bonds is one of the best hitters in the history of baseball. (Alex Rodriguez) is one of the better hitters in the history of baseball.

Despite all of his accomplishments, Rose has been kept out of the Hall of Fame due to his association with gambling on baseball.

“I’m not sure Mark McGwire was a Hall of Famer to begin with. I was a little surprised Raffy (Palmeiro) didn’t get more votes than he did. I’m going to hold my judgment on that until I get a real legitimate Hall of Famer like a Bonds or a (Roger) Clemens, and see what kind of response they get on the ballot. You know A-Rod (Rodriguez) has it made because he won’t be on the ballot until (possibly) 2023. People will forget by then.”